Message character display apparatus

ABSTRACT

Message character display apparatus is described herein which uses an array of light conductors wherein light emitting ends thereof are divided into a predetermined array of character forming segments with which a number of different characters may be formed. When characters are presented they are viewed through a window of the apparatus which is used to support the light emitting ends of the array of conductors and, in combination with the array of conductors, is moulded to form a single unit of light conducting material. Mouldings of the window and character forming light conductors are shown and described in various character display apparatus embodiments of the invention.

United States Patent 1 1 McNaney 1 1 Mar. 27, 1973 MESSAGE CHARACTER DISPLAY 3,581,308 5 1971 McNaney ..340/380 APPARATUS 3,357,010 12 1967 Sweeney..... ....340/336 x 3,631,478 12/1971 McNane ..340/380 1 Invent P Mmamy, 8548 Boulder 3,504,060 3 1970 Gardneri ..350/96 B x Drive, La Mesa, Calif. 92041 I 22 Filed: June 29 1971 Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell Assistant Examiner-William M. Wannisky [21] Appl. No.: 157,901

[57] ABSTRACT 340/336 350/96 1 Message character display apparatus is described 40/130 D herein which uses an array of light conductors wherein [51] Int. Cl. ..G08b 5/36 Ii ht i ti d thereof are divided into a predeter- Fleld of Search 324 mined array of character forming, segments with which 350/160 R, 96 B; 178/15, /130 D, 130 K, 133 R, 133 A; 250/227 a number of different characters may be formed. When characters are presented they are viewed through a window of the apparatus which is used to References Cited support the light emitting ends of the array of conductors and, in combination with the array of conductors, UNITED STATES PATENTS is moulded to form a single unit of light conducting 2,653,516 9 1953 Johnson ..350/96 13 ux material- M uldings of the window and character 3,397,022 8/1968 Cole ..350/96 B forming light conductors are shown and described in 3,580,656 5/l97l Carson ..350/3.5 various character display apparatus embodiments of 3,208,342 9/1965 Nethercot..... ..350/l60 R X the invention, 3,109,065 10/1963 McNaney..... (350/96 B X 3,420,949 1/1969 McNaney ..350/96 B UX 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 41 7E L 5L 47 7s L 81 v j 1 72 73 74 1 T T [i (i i 84 82 Patented March 27, 1973 3,723,961

I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I G. 5 INVENTOR.

Patented March 27, 1973 3,723,961

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

MESSAGE CHARACTER DISPLAY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The character display apparatus of this invention pertains to a somewhat wide variety of information display devices which are designed to display letters, numerals, etc., individually, and more particularly to devices now being used in the instrumentation fields as readouts for rather limited size displays of such data. In applications such as these there is an ever increasing need for effecting readouts of numbers, to perhaps four to six places, displaying numerals one-fourth inch to one-half inch in height, and there is an ever increasing demand to increase the read-out capabilities of such devices while at the same time lower the cost. Advantages inherent in the present invention are therefore designed to satisfy this trend.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the expanding need for numeric readout devices and the demanding requirements being placed on the suppliers by the users of these devices the invention set forth herein is directed toward a satisfying of these necessities. Uppermost in the mind of this inventor and as specified herein is to provide means for displaying numbers, letters, etc., using dot-like arrays of individual sources of light in the formation of such characters, and more particularly using light emitting ends of an array of light guides in providing the dots of light with which characters are formed.

Assemblying arrays of light guides or individual small cross section light conductors so as to form dot-like arrays of individually controlled light emitting elements have been found to be time consuming and expensive. Therefore it is an object of this invention to have an array of light conductors and a common face plate adjacent light emitting ends thereof moulded together in a single operation so as to provide a commonly moulded unit of an otherwise complicated assembly of small parts. And it is an object of this invention to provide units of various configurations for meeting the requirements of a number of different embodiments of the invention.

It is a further object to provide a commonly moulded unit of a light conducting material adapted to support an electrically controllable index of refraction material, in combination with an array of electrodes, for utilizing light conductors therein as an array of electrically controllable light gates in the displaying of characters.

Other objects of the invention will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 show the light admitting surface and a side view, respectively, of a display device embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a section,A-A, through FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail of a portion of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged showing of the moulded light conducting material of the FIG. 1 unit;

FIG. 6 shows a portion of a further embodiment of the invention as viewed from the light admitting end of the unit;

FIG. 7 shows a section through A-A of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an array of electrodes and circuitry for usein an another embodiment using light conductor assemblies of FIGS. 1 through 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description of the invention references to the drawing initially include illustrations of FIGS. 1 through 5, which are intended to show a complete assembly of parts of the invention or sections thereof, wherein the most basic and complete portion thereof includes an array of individual groups of light conductors, or light conducting rod-like members 11, supported by and moulded as a commonly united portion with a window, or face plate 15. A greatly enlarged detail of the rods 11 and window 15 is shown in FIG. 4,, and an equally enlarged showing thereof is in FIG. 5. Each of the rodsll in such a unit 10 have a light admitting end 12 and supported adjacent thereto is a rear face plate, or member 13 presenting a surface 14 which contacts the ends 12 in such assembly. Additional support means for the member 13 is shown to include a set of parts 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, which may be commonly moulded portions of the rods 11 and window 15.

Referring additionally to the illustrations of FIGS. 6 & 7, the rod-like members 17 are shown, for example, to have a rectangular cross section, but are also a moulded portion of a face plate 27. In this embodiment there is a box-like frame 28 extending from outside edges 29 of the face plate 27, and there is a rear face plate 37 which may be attached to the surfaces 19 of the frame 28 and the ends 12 of the members 17. There is also a thin connecting member 20 interconnecting the rods 17 with one another and with the frame 28 so as to support the light admitting ends 12 in predetermined spaced apart positions.

The material used for moulding either of the assemblies described thus far may be selected from light conducting glass, polystyrene, or other compositions of a light conducting material, that will allow light upon entering the admitting end 12 of the rods 11, or 17, to be conducted through the rods to a light emitting end 18 thereof at the surface 38 of the window 15, or 27.

In various illustrations of the invention the array of individual groups of rod-like members include, particularly, light emitting ends 18 thereof arranged in a familiar seven-segment figure eight pattern. But still other patterns and numbers of segments may be used. In view of the present illustrations a unit 10 may be used as a numerical readout device.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a system of electrodes 41 through 48 are shown and designed to be included and utilized in a display device embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 1 each array of rods 11 is sandwiched between a pair of such electrodes. Electrode 41 occupies the space between the parts 21 and 23, electrode 42 occupies the space between the parts 23 and 25, etc., essentially completing a box-like arrangement in which the array of rods 11 are included. In the unit of FIG. 6 a similar system of electrodes will occupy the air space on opposite sides of each of the groups of rods 17. In embodiments which utilize the system of electrodes 41 through 48 there will also be included in a remaining space 56 an electrically controllable light refracting material 61 which may be selected from such electro-optic materials as nitrobenzene, carbon disulphide, carbon bisulfide, bcntonite colloid, or such other liquid, gas, colloidal or solid material. A material selected will present an index of refraction which will be raised, or lowered, in relation to the index of refraction of the rod 11, or 17, light conducting material. In the unique arrangement of electrodes the electrodes 44 and 45 in combination will permit a potential field to be applied to an electro-optic material 61 in which the center row of rods 11 is embeded; the electrode 44 and 43 in combination will permit a potential field to be applied to a material 61 in which the top row of rods is embeded; the electrode 45 and 46 in combination will permit a potential field to be applied to a material 61 in which the bottom row of rods is embeded; and so on.

Simplified circuitry for extending potentials to various combinations of electrodes includes a system of seven sets of input terminals 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 & 77. A potential between terminals 71 is established across a resistor 81 and extended to electrodes 44 and 45. A potential between terminals 72 will appear across a resistor 82 and therefore between electrodes 42 and 45. A potential between terminals 73 will appear across a resistor 83 and between electrodes 46 and 45; and so on. When a potential between terminals 71 establishes a like potential across the resistor 81 it will not have any effect on potentials established across resistors 75, 76 & 77, and like potentials between electrodes 41-44, 4344 & 4744. Therefore the electrode 44 will be common to electrodes 41, 43 & 47, and the electrode 45 will be common to electrodes 42, 46 & 48.

Depending upon the predetermined index of refraction of the rods 11, or 17, if the material 61 index increases with the application of a potential field thereto and, therefore, frustrates reflections of light through the horizontal dimension of the rod, its initial index will have to be lower than that of the rod and thereby effect reflections through the rod under a zero field, or low field, condition. If the material 61 index decreases with the application of a potential field thereto its initial index will have to be higher than that of the rod, allowing the applied field to be followed by a transmission of light through the light conducting rod. The seven groups of rods will function as seven individually controlled light gates utilizing a single light source. The single light source being referred to is not shown in the drawing, however, the light admitting ends 12 will be exposed to light from such source. When the material 61 has an index not sufficiently lower than the material of the conductors 11, or 17, to effect reflections of light to the emitting ends 18 thereof, light will be either absorbed by the material 61, or conducted through the material 61 to the electrodes associated therewith and absorbed thereby. The material 61 may be one of the crystalline liquids, such as the nematic structure, when in a clear state and presenting an index of refraction lower than that of the conductors 11, or 17, will effect reflections of light through the conductors, but under the influence of a voltage it will become sufficiently opaque to absorb light being admitted through the ends 12.

When moulding any of the integrally formed portions ofa unit of the invention it may be desirable to have, as indicated in FIG. 4, the material thereof in the form of the interconnecting member 20a extend the full length of the conductors 11 from the admitting end 12 to the emitting end 18 and the surface 38. A light masking material may be deposited on the surfaces 38 of the window 15, or 27, so as to effect a darkened field in which illuminated characters are being displayed. Such masking material should also be deposited on the surface 14 of the plate 13, or surface 67 of plate 37, except within areas of the surface which are immediately opposite the light admitting ends of the light conductors It should be understood by those skilled in the arts relating to the present invention that the embodiments described herein are illustrative only, that the actual dimensions of the moulded parts therein will vary in accordance with application requirements, and that the invention includes such other modifications and equivalents as may be seen by those skilled in the arts, but still being within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A message character display device containing an array of individual groups of light conductors, each group including a plurality of said conductors, each said conductor presenting a light admitting end and a light emitting end, said emitting ends of each group representative of one, or a number of different, message characters, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. an integrally related moulding of light conducting members of said display device, said moulding including:

1. a window; and

2. said array of individual groups of light conductors;

said window having a thickness dimension, and

first and second surfaces on opposing sides thereof;

c. said light conductors each having an outer surface extending along a longitudinal dimension thereof and in the direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end;

. said emitting end of each said light conductor coinciding with said first surface and intimately joining said window thereat, forming an integrally related moulding of said window and said array of individual groups of light conductors;

e. an electrical circuit including a plurality of electrodes;

f. said outer surface of the light conductors in each said group including first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof;

electrodes of said plurality of electrodes positioned on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjacent, respectively, said first and second surfaces thereof;

. electro-optic material intermediate said electrodes on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjoining the outer surface of said conductors along the longitudinal dimension thereof.

2. A device for utilization in message display apparatus for effecting reflections of light through a light conducting material thereof or frustrating reflections of light upon entering said material, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. first and second electrodes disposed on opposite sides of said device;

b. means for applying a potential field between said electrodes;

c. said electrodes positioned at, and coinciding with each other on, opposite sides of said device so as to provide intermediate said electrodes a space extending along a dimension thereof in the direction of the passage of light from a light admitting end to a light emitting end of said device;

d. first light conducting material, presenting an electrically controllable index of refraction, sandwiched between said electrodes in said space having a predetermined cross sectional dimension transverse of said direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end of the device;

e. second light conducting material, presenting a predetermined index of refraction, first and second ends, and an outer surface along a dimension thereof, said dimension being in said direction of the passage of light through said device, said second light conducting material supported in said space and intimately joined with the first light conducting material along said dimension thereof and thereby included in said sandwich between said electrodes, said second material being in the form of a conductor of light having a cross sectional dimension transverse of said dimension of the outer surface;

f. said first light conducting material presenting an index of refraction in relation to said predetermined index corresponding to a potential field applied between said first and second electrodes and accordingly effecting reflections of light through said second light conducting material along said dimension thereof, or, frustrating said reflections of light through said second light conducting material upon entering said admitting end of the device;

g. said first light conducting material comprising a fluid.

3. The improvement as set forth in claim 2 additionally including:

h. a plurality of said conductors of light supported in said space and intimately joined with said first light conducting material along said dimension thereof and thereby included in said sandwich between said electrodes.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 additionally including:

including:

j. said first end of said conductors in each group representative of one, or a number of different, message character forming segments.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 2 additionally including:

h. said first light conducting material being an absorber of light in response to a potential field applied between said first and second electrodes and accordingly frustrating said reflections of light through said second light conducting material.

7. Message dis lay apparatus including: a. an array 0 light conductors, eac presenting a light admitting end, a light emitting end and an outer surface extending along a longitudinal dimension thereof and in the direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end;

b. a window of light conducting material having a thickness dimension and presenting first and second surfaces on opposing sides thereof, said emitting end of each said conductor being adjacent the first surface of said window;

c. a box-like frame adjoined to the first surface of said window and surrounding said array of conductors so as to provide an enclosure having space therein, said space surrounding each conductor of said array along said longitudinal dimension thereof",

d. electro-optic fluid material;

e. an electrical circuit including a plurality of electrodes;

f. said fluid material being in said space, adjoining the outer surface of each conductor of said array along the longitudinal dimension thereof;

g. electrodes of said plurality of electrodes positioned, within said space, closely adjacent the outer surface of each conductor of said array along y the longitudinal dimension thereof. 

1. A message character display device containing an array of individual groups of light conductors, each group including a plurality of said conductors, each said conductor presenting a light admitting end and a light emitting end, said emitting ends of each group representative of one, or a number of different, message characters, wherein the improvement comprises: a. an integrally related moulding of light conducting members of said display device, said moulding including:
 1. a window; and
 2. said array of individual groups of light conductors; b. said window having a thickness dimension, and first and second surfaces on opposing sides thereof; c. said light conductors each having an outer surface extending along a longitudinal dimension thereof and in the direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end; d. said emitting end of each said light conductor coinciding with said first surface and intimately joining said window thereat, forming an integrally related moulding of said window and said array of individual groups of light conductors; e. an electrical circuit including a plurality of electrodes; f. said outer surface of the light conductors in each said group including first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; g. electrodes of said plurality of electrodes positioned on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjacent, respectively, said first and second surfaces thereof; h. electro-optic material intermediate said electrodes on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjoining the outer surface of said conductors along the longitudinal dimension thereof.
 2. A device for utilization in message display apparatus for effecting reflections of light through a light conducting material thereof or frustrating reflections of light upon entering said material, wherein the improvement comprises: a. first and second electrodes disposed on opposite sides of said device; b. means for applying a potential field between said electrodes; c. said electrodes positioned at, and coinciding with each other on, opposite sides of said device so as to provide intermediate said electrodes a space extending along a dimension thereof in the direction of the passage of light from a light admitting end to a light emitting end of said device; d. first light conducting material, presenting an electrically controllable index of refraction, sandwiched between said electrodes in said space having a predetermined cross sectional dimension transverse of said direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end of the device; e. second light conducting material, presenting a predetermined index of refraction, first and second ends, and an outer surface along a dimension thereof, said dimension being in said direction of the passage of light through said device, said second light conducting material supported in said space and intimately joined with the first light conducting material along said dimension thereof and thereby included in said sandwich between said electrodes, said second material being in the form of a conductor of light having a cross sectional dimension transverse of said dimension of the outer surface; f. said first light conducting material presenting an index of refraction in relation to said predetermined index corresponding to a potential field applied between said first and second electrodes and accordingly effecting reflections of light through said second light conducting material along Said dimension thereof, or, frustrating said reflections of light through said second light conducting material upon entering said admitting end of the device; g. said first light conducting material comprising a fluid.
 2. said array of individual groups of light conductors; b. said window having a thickness dimension, and first and second surfaces on opposing sides thereof; c. said light conductors each having an outer surface extending along a longitudinal dimension thereof and in the direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end; d. said emitting end of each said light conductor coinciding with said first surface and intimately joining said window thereat, forming an integrally related moulding of said window and said array of individual groups of light conductors; e. an electrical circuit including a plurality of electrodes; f. said outer surface of the light conductors in each said group including first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof; g. electrodes of said plurality of electrodes positioned on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjacent, respectively, said first and second surfaces thereof; h. electro-optic material intermediate said electrodes on the opposite sides of each said group of conductors and adjoining the outer surface of said conductors along the longitudinal dimension thereof.
 3. The improvement as set forth in claim 2 additionally including: h. a plurality of said conductors of light supported in said space and intimately joined with said first light conducting material along said dimension thereof and thereby included in said sandwich between said electrodes.
 4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 additionally including: i. an array of individual groups of said conductors of light, each group including a plurality of said conductors of light intimately joined with said first light conducting material comprising a sandwich thereof between said electrodes.
 5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 additionally including: j. said first end of said conductors in each group representative of one, or a number of different, message character forming segments.
 6. The invention as set forth in claim 2 additionally including: h. said first light conducting material being an absorber of light in response to a potential field applied between said first and second electrodes and accordingly frustrating said reflections of light through said second light conducting material.
 7. Message display apparatus including: a. an array of light conductors, each presenting a light admitting end, a light emitting end and an outer surface extending along a longitudinal dimension thereof and in the direction of the passage of light from said admitting end to said emitting end; b. a window of light conducting material having a thickness dimension and presenting first and second surfaces on opposing sides thereof, said emitting end of each said conductor being adjacent the first surface of said window; c. a box-like frame adjoined to the first surface of said window and surrounding said array of conductors so as to provide an enclosure having space therein, said space surrounding each conductor of said array along said longitudinal dimension thereof; d. electro-optic fluid material; e. an electrical circuit including a plurality of electrodes; f. said fluid material being in said space, adjoining the outer surface of each conductor of said array along the longitudinal dimension thereof; g. electrodes of said plurality of electrodes positioned, within said space, closely adjacent the outer surface of each conductor of said array along the longitudinal dimension thereof. 